The New Lion of Damascus: Bashar al-Asad and Modern Syria

Observers hailed Bashar al-Asad as a reformer when he assumed the Syrian presidency upon the death of his father in 2000.  His performance has often failed to live up to early expectations, however. With the ongoing investigation into the Hariri assassination, the recent riots outside European embassies and lingering concerns about Syria’s role in the Iraqi insurgency, Syria’s relations with much of the outside world have steadily deteriorated.

To help explore questions both about Syria’s internal politics, as well as the likely future course of its foreign policy, David W. Lesch, author of The New Lion of Damascus: Bashar al-Asad and Modern Syria (Yale University Press, 2005) will present a lecture followed by a question and answer session.